US6512780B1 - System for compensating directional and positional fluctuations in light produced by a laser - Google Patents
System for compensating directional and positional fluctuations in light produced by a laser Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US6512780B1 US6512780B1 US09/717,560 US71756000A US6512780B1 US 6512780 B1 US6512780 B1 US 6512780B1 US 71756000 A US71756000 A US 71756000A US 6512780 B1 US6512780 B1 US 6512780B1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- laser
- partial
- illuminating
- beam splitter
- reference surface
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related, expires
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Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03F—PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR
- G03F9/00—Registration or positioning of originals, masks, frames, photographic sheets or textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. automatically
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03F—PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR
- G03F7/00—Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor
- G03F7/70—Microphotolithographic exposure; Apparatus therefor
- G03F7/70058—Mask illumination systems
- G03F7/70141—Illumination system adjustment, e.g. adjustments during exposure or alignment during assembly of illumination system
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B27/00—Optical systems or apparatus not provided for by any of the groups G02B1/00 - G02B26/00, G02B30/00
- G02B27/64—Imaging systems using optical elements for stabilisation of the lateral and angular position of the image
- G02B27/646—Imaging systems using optical elements for stabilisation of the lateral and angular position of the image compensating for small deviations, e.g. due to vibration or shake
- G02B27/648—Imaging systems using optical elements for stabilisation of the lateral and angular position of the image compensating for small deviations, e.g. due to vibration or shake for automatically maintaining a reference alignment, e.g. in self-levelling surveying instruments
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03F—PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR
- G03F7/00—Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor
- G03F7/70—Microphotolithographic exposure; Apparatus therefor
- G03F7/708—Construction of apparatus, e.g. environment aspects, hygiene aspects or materials
- G03F7/70858—Environment aspects, e.g. pressure of beam-path gas, temperature
- G03F7/709—Vibration, e.g. vibration detection, compensation, suppression or isolation
Definitions
- the invention relates to a system for at least far-reaching compensation of directional and positional fluctuations in light produced by a laser, in particular for micro lithographic illuminating devices.
- the invention also relates to a device therefore.
- Laser-operated illuminating systems such as are used, for example, in micro lithographic projection exposure machines react sensitively to positional and directional fluctuations in the laser radiation at the input to the system. In particular, this exerts a negative influence on the uniformity of the light distribution and the centered beam angular characteristic (telecentrism). Again, it is not always possible to avoid positional and directional fluctuations while observing tolerances which are as small as possible. Thus, for example, changes occur simply from heating of the laser during operation.
- a device for this purpose is exhibited in claim 3.
- the laser beam produced by a laser is partitioned into two partial beams at a beam splitter between the laser and the illuminating system or the illuminating device, a first partial beam being guided directly onto an illuminating reference surface.
- the second partial beam is guided via a detour having at least two beam-deflecting devices, before subsequently also being fed to the illuminating reference surface after renewed traversal of the beam splitter.
- the measure according to the invention renders it possible to balance fluctuations in the laser with reference to its position, and thus to eliminate their action on the illuminating system.
- the system according to the invention and the device therefore can also be used to achieve a compensation of directional fluctuations in the laser.
- the beam offset is less than 1% of the beam width. It is important that the proposed system delivers stabilization of the centroid beam position and the centroid beam direction.
- the beam splitter causes a plurality of round-trip passes by the partial beam guided via the beam-deflecting device, it can advantageously be provided for a more uniform light distribution that as regards the partition of the laser beam the splitting ratio of the first partial beam to the second partial beam is 33.3/66.7.
- a beam splitter cube can advantageously be used as beam splitter, because this avoids a beam offset which would be produced by a beam splitter plate itself.
- the beam splitter cube has, of course, to be tuned to the wavelength employed.
- Path-folding mirrors can be used in a simple way as beam-deflecting devices.
- FIG. 1 shows the course of a laser beam produced by a laser, with compensation of directional fluctuations
- FIG. 2 shows the course of a laser beam produced by a laser, with compensation of positional fluctuations.
- a laser beam 2 is produced by a laser 1 (not illustrated in more detail).
- the laser beam 2 is illustrated, as a continuous line, as the optimum beam 2 ′ in FIGS. 1 and 2, no directional and positional fluctuations at all being present.
- a maladjusted beam 2 is illustrated by dots in both figures. In practice, the optimum beam 2 ′ cannot be implemented in this exact form.
- an angular error occurs at an illuminating reference surface 3 in accordance with the deviations.
- the illuminating reference surface 3 is generally located in the direct laser beam. The angular deviation is more strongly expressed the greater the spacing of the laser 1 from the illuminating reference surface 3 .
- a beam splitter 4 is located for this purpose in the beam path between the laser 1 and the illuminating device or the illuminating reference surface 3 .
- the laser beam 2 striking it is partitioned into a first partial beam 2 a , which is guided directly onto the illuminating reference surface 3 , and into a further or second partial beam 2 b , which is guided via a detour 5 , in which at least two beam-deflecting devices 6 and 7 are located, in such a way that the deflected partial beam 2 b is led once again to the beam splitter 4 , from where it is subsequently also fed to the illuminating reference surface 3 .
- a beam splitter which can be a beam splitter cube 4 , for example, is designed in such a way that the splitting ratio of the first partial beam, which is led directly to the illuminating reference surface 3 , and the second partial beam 2 b , which repeatedly takes the path via the detour 5 , is 33.3/66.7.
- the beam splitter 4 in no way influences the optimum beam 2 ′, because even the partial beam which takes the path via the detour and the two beam-deflecting devices designed as path-folding mirrors 6 and 7 strikes the illuminating reference surface 3 exactly in the plane of symmetry 8 .
- the course of a maladjusted laser beam 2 looks different, however, in this case.
- the partial beam 2 a deflected by the beam splitter 4 is present slightly to the right next to the plane of symmetry 8 of the illuminating reference surface 3 .
- the partial beam 2 b which has taken the path via the detour 5 , correspondingly strikes the illuminating reference surface 3 to the left of the plane of symmetry 8 .
- centroid beam is to strike the illuminating reference surface 3 as far as possible perpendicularly.
- the mean value of the centroid beam which has become somewhat wider, is once again, however, situated perpendicular to the illuminating reference surface 3 .
- the directional fluctuations are thereby compensated in practice. This requires merely that the splitting ratio is skillfully selected such that both partial beams are of equal intensity, the result then being that one partial beam is exactly compensated by the other partial beam.
- the slight offset occurring thereby plays no role in practice. The same holds likewise for the divergences of the beam, which become slightly larger.
- FIG. 2 The relationships in the case of compensation of positional fluctuation in the laser are even clearer, as is illustrated in FIG. 2 .
- the two partial beams 2 a and 2 b are situated symmetrically relative to the plane of symmetry 8 .
- both partial beams strike the illuminating reference surface perpendicularly, and the symmetry is also retained. Only the width of the beam has become slightly larger, but this—as already mentioned—is negligible in practice by comparison with the beam diameter of the laser beam of 30 to 40 mm.
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- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Toxicology (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Atmospheric Sciences (AREA)
- Optics & Photonics (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
- Epidemiology (AREA)
- Public Health (AREA)
- Exposure Of Semiconductors, Excluding Electron Or Ion Beam Exposure (AREA)
- Exposure And Positioning Against Photoresist Photosensitive Materials (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims (3)
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
DE19959742.1 | 1999-12-10 | ||
DE19959742A DE19959742A1 (en) | 1999-12-10 | 1999-12-10 | System for compensating for changes in direction and position of a light generated by a laser |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US6512780B1 true US6512780B1 (en) | 2003-01-28 |
Family
ID=7932250
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US09/717,560 Expired - Fee Related US6512780B1 (en) | 1999-12-10 | 2000-11-21 | System for compensating directional and positional fluctuations in light produced by a laser |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US6512780B1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP1107039A3 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2001201865A (en) |
KR (1) | KR20010062308A (en) |
DE (1) | DE19959742A1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20040136094A1 (en) * | 2002-07-24 | 2004-07-15 | Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag | Compact device for imaging a printing form |
US20070206381A1 (en) * | 2004-02-26 | 2007-09-06 | Damian Fiolka | System for reducing the coherence of laser radiation |
Citations (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3869210A (en) * | 1973-11-02 | 1975-03-04 | Nasa | Laser system with an antiresonant optical ring |
US4703166A (en) | 1984-06-21 | 1987-10-27 | American Telephone And Telegraph Company, At&T Bell Laboratories | System for maintaining the optical alignment between stationary and moving equipment in deep-UV lithography |
EP0293823A2 (en) | 1984-06-21 | 1988-12-07 | AT&T Corp. | Deep-UV lithography |
US4821113A (en) * | 1985-05-22 | 1989-04-11 | Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company | Full color, continuous tone laser diode photographic imaging apparatus and method using three laser diodes at predetermined frequencies |
WO2000067303A1 (en) | 1999-04-28 | 2000-11-09 | Nikon Corporation | Exposure method and apparatus |
US6157478A (en) * | 1995-12-27 | 2000-12-05 | Minolta Co., Ltd. | Multibeam scanning optical apparatus and laser light source apparatus |
US6211989B1 (en) * | 1997-02-24 | 2001-04-03 | Bodenseewerk Perkin-Elmer Gmbh | Light-scanning device |
US6333510B1 (en) * | 1997-08-11 | 2001-12-25 | Hitachi, Ltd. | Electron beam exposure or system inspection of measurement apparatus and its method and height detection apparatus |
Family Cites Families (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4707217A (en) * | 1986-05-28 | 1987-11-17 | The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy | Single crystal thin films |
DE4341553C1 (en) * | 1993-12-07 | 1995-04-27 | Fraunhofer Ges Forschung | Device for homogenising the light distribution of a laser beam |
US5684566A (en) * | 1995-05-24 | 1997-11-04 | Svg Lithography Systems, Inc. | Illumination system and method employing a deformable mirror and diffractive optical elements |
-
1999
- 1999-12-10 DE DE19959742A patent/DE19959742A1/en not_active Withdrawn
-
2000
- 2000-11-21 US US09/717,560 patent/US6512780B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2000-11-21 EP EP00125454A patent/EP1107039A3/en not_active Ceased
- 2000-11-28 JP JP2000360879A patent/JP2001201865A/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2000-12-09 KR KR1020000074956A patent/KR20010062308A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
Patent Citations (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3869210A (en) * | 1973-11-02 | 1975-03-04 | Nasa | Laser system with an antiresonant optical ring |
US4703166A (en) | 1984-06-21 | 1987-10-27 | American Telephone And Telegraph Company, At&T Bell Laboratories | System for maintaining the optical alignment between stationary and moving equipment in deep-UV lithography |
EP0293823A2 (en) | 1984-06-21 | 1988-12-07 | AT&T Corp. | Deep-UV lithography |
US4821113A (en) * | 1985-05-22 | 1989-04-11 | Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company | Full color, continuous tone laser diode photographic imaging apparatus and method using three laser diodes at predetermined frequencies |
US6157478A (en) * | 1995-12-27 | 2000-12-05 | Minolta Co., Ltd. | Multibeam scanning optical apparatus and laser light source apparatus |
US6211989B1 (en) * | 1997-02-24 | 2001-04-03 | Bodenseewerk Perkin-Elmer Gmbh | Light-scanning device |
US6333510B1 (en) * | 1997-08-11 | 2001-12-25 | Hitachi, Ltd. | Electron beam exposure or system inspection of measurement apparatus and its method and height detection apparatus |
WO2000067303A1 (en) | 1999-04-28 | 2000-11-09 | Nikon Corporation | Exposure method and apparatus |
Cited By (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20040136094A1 (en) * | 2002-07-24 | 2004-07-15 | Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag | Compact device for imaging a printing form |
US6919997B2 (en) | 2002-07-24 | 2005-07-19 | Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag | Compact device for imaging a printing form |
US20070206381A1 (en) * | 2004-02-26 | 2007-09-06 | Damian Fiolka | System for reducing the coherence of laser radiation |
US7593095B2 (en) * | 2004-02-26 | 2009-09-22 | Carl Zeiss Smt Ag | System for reducing the coherence of laser radiation |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
JP2001201865A (en) | 2001-07-27 |
EP1107039A3 (en) | 2003-08-27 |
DE19959742A1 (en) | 2001-06-13 |
EP1107039A2 (en) | 2001-06-13 |
KR20010062308A (en) | 2001-07-07 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: CARL-ZEISS-STIFTUNG, GERMANY Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:DIECKMANN, NILS;REEL/FRAME:011319/0132 Effective date: 20001025 |
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FEPP | Fee payment procedure |
Free format text: PAYOR NUMBER ASSIGNED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: ASPN); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY |
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AS | Assignment |
Owner name: CARL ZEISS SMT AG, GERMANY Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:CARL ZEISS SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT;REEL/FRAME:015530/0437 Effective date: 20031219 |
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AS | Assignment |
Owner name: CARL ZEISS SMT AG, GERMAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:CARL-ZEISS-STIFTUNG;REEL/FRAME:016059/0726 Effective date: 20040630 |
|
FPAY | Fee payment |
Year of fee payment: 4 |
|
REMI | Maintenance fee reminder mailed | ||
LAPS | Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees | ||
STCH | Information on status: patent discontinuation |
Free format text: PATENT EXPIRED DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEES UNDER 37 CFR 1.362 |
|
FP | Lapsed due to failure to pay maintenance fee |
Effective date: 20110128 |